METICULOUS,

is it all you had, or just all you'd give?

[selfmythologize]

hi everyone! i'm denver (23, she/they) and i'm happy to be here with both han seongmin and seo daeun (pinterest). like this post if you're interested in plotting with daeun and i'll dm you asap <3

biog

born october 10, 1994 (currently 31) in seomri-myeon to a single mother. mind you, her mom wasn't supposed to be a single mother - her boyfriend had assured her a hundred times that they were going to get married and raise the baby together and maybe even have another, but about ~5 months into the pregnancy he decided he was too young to be held back by being a father, basically. opted to pay child support and live a couple streets over while never seeing the baby.

her mom's best friend (historians will say that's all the relationship was) moved in to help with bills and childcare when daeun was about 3??? so there were two parental figures in the home, it was just a bit unconventional. they were definitely a hot topic back in the day.

as daeun got a little bit older, it became increasingly apparent that something was... not exactly right with her. she was a bad kid x10. very emotional, very dramatic, very selfish. everything had to be her way, and if it wasn't, she would lose her shit. as soon as she started going to daycare, the complaints started rolling in. they got worse when she started school. "poor communication skills", "not a team player", "pulls other girls' hair", so on and so forth... and instead of thinking "wow maybe this is something we need to address," her mom + mom's alleged best friend decided that it must've been something they were doing wrong. they weren't spending enough time with her, they weren't showing her enough love, they weren't listening to her enough. they never punished her, which in turn kind of fueled the bad behavior lbr.

was absolutely a bully in school. i don't think she even had a mean girl clique; she acted as a lone force of evil. had a few friends who were very dear to her & exempt from her attitude, but how exactly she picked who to be nice to and who to make miserable is anyone's guess.

her personality calmed down a lot when she was around 14. her mom passed away very suddenly after a routine checkup turned into "something is severely wrong" and a short-term hospital stay. it was a lot to deal with for a kid, and especially on such short notice so if that wasn't enough to soften her on its own, her dying mom saying "i'm worried that other people won't understand you" was.

was kind of a basket case around this time because you know then there was a legal case where daeun's dad was contacted and asked to take her in (which he refused) and then her mom's alleged best friend who she'd always been kind of mean to formally adopted her like..... it was a trying time where the world was shifting around her. she was really lonely and this was the first time in her life that she really realized other people are real people and they matter.

was kind of weird from age 14 to 15 considering all of that, then settled into what ended up being her perma-personality - lonely, loud, impulsive, selfish, attention-hungry. started dating at age 15 and never really stopped, but her relationships were always short-lived because she's pretty but very high-maintenance and self-centered. has claimed that every breakup she's ever gone through was initiated by her and that she was "better off", but to this day she has never dumped anyone.

so yea she went kind of boy crazy as a teenager, didn't really gaf about school, did the bare minimum to coast by without having to retake any classes. immediately after high school she started working retail, has bounced between jobs at probably every entry-level workplace in town because she gets bored and thinks the grass is greener elsewhere.

which is also how she treats relationships btw - very much an unappreciative partner who gets bored and starts looking at other people and taking her own partner for granted, and then they leave her and she realizes she actually liked them pretty well.

eventually started working at oni cafe and stuck around long enough (6 years now!) that she became the manager. was offered the job two years ago now, which also happens to be around the time she was getting married :) yeah, the difficult, horrible, unloyal woman found a man willing to marry her :) so it was a pretty good time and in her life between the job and the marriage, and they were actually pretty happy in the beginning, but then daeun ruined it like she ruins everything - by being selfish, ungrateful, complaintive, and mean. she felt him pulling away from her but kept telling herself it was all in her head up until he told her he wanted a divorce. the divorce was finalized 6 months ago, and he promptly moved out, leaving daeun with the house they'd bought together and the cat they'd adopted together. everything is exactly as it was during their marriage, except now she's bitter and alone

will claim that she requested the divorce, but neighbors def witnessed her screaming crying begging him not to leave as he got in his car and drove away. it's that serious.

anyway, she was a pretty good manager before that, but ever since, she's been inconsistent. the type of boss you have to walk on eggshells around/feel out what kind of mood she's in before asking anything of her lmfao

is 100% still the drama. a slightly better person than she was in her younger years (she's learned her lesson a million times over so she's not boy crazy anymore and also is lonely as hell so she's on a nice streak!) but she's still always caught up in some bullshit. knows everyone's business, likes to talk about it. a very animated speaker. tries to make out like she's doing better than she ever has but then you see her wiping her tears mid-smoke break. very reactive; easy to fool, def the "no way!" and loud gasp you overhear when people are having too loud of a conversation in a public space, kind of a know-it-all (she insists on having to be right all the time, sorry), pretty non-judgmental despite (or because of) it all like............ you can tell her anything.

has been spending almost every night getting drunk at the wheat barrel for the past 6 months.

plot ideas

girls she used to bully in school but now she feels kind of inferior to them and is consequently awkward around them

some regular at the cafe who's been having to talk to daeun about their orders pretty regularly recently because they always come out wrong and daeun says she'll talk to her staff but then you catch her making the order and when you get it it's still wrong.......... is she...... doing this on purpose?

someone she's gotten friendlier with since she's been frequenting the wheat barrel. they get along pretty decently but for some reason just haven't attempted to communicate outside of the bar

a couple good girl friends please!!!!!!!! she may not have always been as appreciative of them as she should have been, but she's definitely becoming a better friend now :)

other regulars at the cafe who daeun likes to talk to in her down moments - people she doesn't seek outside of work, but she always likes to see them in store!!!!

neighbors who hear her drunkenly crying and then telling herself to grow up on her porch nightly. not a depressing thing, def an element of humor to it because she goes from sniffling to sobbing to telling herself to be serious and then there's silence for a bit and then she burps (must live on onyu-gil)

is anyone crazy enough to think they can fix her?

[starrygze]

for anyone!

jian's sitting just off to the side of her apartment building’s entrance. she's close enough that she really could get up and go inside, but she hasn't. both of her legs are stretched out in front of her, her head tipped back against the wall with her eyes closed. from a distance, she could pass for someone asleep sitting up. the only indication she isn't is the faint movement of her feet moving and the soft hums coming from her. she doesn't really know how long she's been sitting there. the last thing she remembers clearly is dropping her bag near the door followed by the soft spill of its contents. she'd crouched down to gather everything, and then… never stood back up.

it’s the sound of footsteps that breaks through the haze and pulls her out of it. immediately, she registers how she must look to whoever it is, and her chest tightens. worst case scenario, it's someone who's close to her parents and make it something she'll hear about later whether she wants to or not.

her eyes open almost instantly at the thought. she slightly relaxes when she realizes it’s not who she thought it might be, but the relief does nothing against embarrassment begins to quickly creep in. jian stands, a little slower than it should be for someone her age.

"oh," she says softly, followed by a slow blink. "hey." for someone who usually has something to say, she doesn't really know what to say to make this look any better than it was. "i didn't…" she stops the explanation before she can fully get it out. "i just got back," is the explanation she settles on instead. jian has no idea if the other buys it, and she's not really trying to make them.

her fingers tug lightly at her sleeve and she shifts her weight from one foot to the other. she kind of wants to head inside and act like this didn't happen, but a part of her is worried about what the other may think of her, and that alone has her feet planted in place. she glances at them briefly, then away again, debating whether to say anything else at all.

"um… was your day okay?"

[selfmythologize]

daeun is just trying to visit a friend. she'd had a long day at work, and one of her only close girl friends had invited her over to watch the latest episode of some tacky reality show. daeun's not up to date on it, but she finds filling in the gaps with her imagination almost as fun as actually being in the know, so she's still excited. she has high hopes that hanging out and spending a couple hours gasping and laughing with a good friend will erase the tension of the day and put her in a better mood for tomorrow.

she just needs to get there.

but, as she's walking along the sidewalk leading to the apartment building's entrance, she steps on something unusual. something that rolls under her foot, upsetting her balance. "shit!" she exclaims as she stumbles dumbly. luckily, she manages not to fall. she takes a deep breath and looks to see what had tripped her: a pen. she bends to snatch it off the ground, prepared to recount the story with physical evidence. but in her resumed path, she finds jian looking... kind of out of it. she stops again, looking at jian for a couple seconds, wondering if she should do something or just keep walking.

before she decides, jian moves. and then she's on her feet, explaining herself despite the fact that daeun hadn't even asked. she's squinting slightly at the younger girl, doubting the genuineness of her explanation. she hadn't seemed to be doing anything wrong, but she has the demeanor of a kid who's been caught.

"you sound suspicious as hell," she says, staring straight at jian and ignoring her question. not that she really cares what she was up to, or not up to. daeun likes her well enough to probably not gossip about her, and she hadn't seemed to be doing anything wrong... but then again...

"but you know what? that's okay. all i need to know is," she extends her arm, displaying the pen, "is this yours?"

[petalshowers]

like clockwork. for @selfmythologize

some people might think it's ridiculous that the route from nari's place to oni cafe is path she often takes in the morning instead of the one leading to her actual job. even on the days nari left her place halfheartedly commited to going to work, somehow she'd still end up in front of oni cafe. if you ask her, there's a brief explanation about avoidance for the reason why that happens, but it's easier if she just blames her frequent appearance on her sweet tooth.

nari steps into oni cafe, immediately spotting daeun, and makes her way over to the counter.

"unfortunately, i won't be staying long today," she says the moment she reaches it with a certainty that sounds almost convincing. "and i really mean it this time!" given her track record, it's very unlikely to be true, but at least she can say there was an attempt. her attention momentarily drifts as she scans the store, finally taking in her surrounds and who else might be there this early. not that she really cares to strike up a conversation with anyone other than daeun at the moment, but it's something she should still be aware of.

her focus is back on daeun the second she finished checking her surroundings, and she leans into the counter. the only thing saving her from looking like she's already contradicting her earlier statement and planning to stay is the fact that she's still standing with her purse hanging from her shoulder instead of being set down like it usually would be by now.

"so, anything new happened since i last came in?" she asks expectantly as she begins lightly tapping her fingers along the edge of the counter. it's only been two days since she last stopped by, but something worth talking about has to have happened since then. "if your day as boring as my day was yesterday, maybe it's a sign i should always stop by."

[selfmythologize]

it's been hard for daeun to keep employees at the cafe in recent months. nothing about daeun has changed, nor has anything about the cafe, so she's not sure what the problem is—but it's got her standing at the counter, preparing an iced matcha because her morning lead had decided not to show up. she'd rather have no employees than incompetent ones though, so all things considered, she's not in too foul of a mood. any lingering resentment dissipates when she sees nari walk in the door, anyway.

she gives her a disbelieving look when she claims that she won't be staying long, but keeps her comments to herself; she likes nari's company and has no desire to push her to prove herself. maybe she'll make a joke about it when nari does decide to leave, probably well after opening time for sanbit stones.

"yuna!" she calls into the mostly empty cafe, setting the finished drink on the pickup counter. she makes brief eye contact with the customer, already on her way to grab her order, but quickly gives her full attention to nari.

"you don't even know," she starts, rolling her eyes. "i started training a new employee yesterday. some kid who just graduated from high school. he doesn't want to work. his mom came in here begging for me to give him a job, and i felt bad for her, so i did. but the kid sucks. he spilled a jug of cocoa powder in the back, like, twenty minutes into his shift, then busted his ass on the wet floor when i had him mop. by the time he left, i wanted to kill myself."

maybe she shouldn't be talking about her employees like this. but considering yuna has already left the store, and the only other customer is a middle-aged man with earbuds in, and her morning shift had decided not to show up, she gives herself grace this time.

"so, yeah, i wish i'd had a boring day. but what made yours so boring? slow business, or what?" she wonders, truly curious. "... and just for the record, you should always stop by. it sucks when you don't."

[bergamor]

Idly, she wonders if it’s warm for April. It certainly feels it, though the warmth might be attributed more to the fact that she’s been gathering coins in an empty fountain over any irregularities in the weather. True to form she’s been diligent in her work for maybe a bit too long; her knee pops as she swings it over the ledge and she can’t help the accompanying wince. Health over wealth, they say, yet she’s only got about a thousand won to show for her trouble.

She drops off her fortune at the communal pile on her way over to the drinks table, mind wandering to her actual restoration duties — confirming volunteer scheduling, making sure the mayor showed up on time — until she’s had a first sip of the drink handed to her and looks up to thank her counterpart. “Oh.”

She knows Daeun’s name, of course — not in a creepy way, please, but purely from the proximity principle. Oni cafe has perfectly acceptable coffee in the morning — except for when she’s manning the machine. The first time is an accident, the second is poor quality control, the third is another barista; the laundry list of explanations has surprisingly few repeats that it’s honestly impressive. Or would be impressive if the victim wasn’t her.

”Thanks — this is nice.” She says, and then because she can’t help herself: “Did one of the other employees make it?” It’s only lemonade, to be fair, but with Daeun’s success rate she wouldn’t put it past her. Clearly the possibilities are endless.

RESTORE '26, TRUST ISSUES FT. @selfmythologize

[selfmythologize]

there is something about byeon bitna that makes daeun's skin crawl. her disdain is unfair, to say the least - bitna hasn't really done anything wrong. daeun hasn't given her a chance to. she simply exists, appearing consistent and put-together. offering this town things that daeun knows people like her don't get to offer. she doesn't like the things that she assumes about bitna; furthermore, she has no interest in proving herself wrong.

but she isn't looking for trouble.

she's off the clock. meaning, any interaction she has with bitna is unpaid. meaning, when she sees bitna approaching, she has a cup already poured. saving herself the trouble of any idle conversation that might ensue if bitna has to linger for any longer than absolutely necessary. she could just walk away, but she's not quite ready to return to her station yet, and besides, she's never been good at just walking away.

so she stays put, passing the cup to bitna without so much as a word. it could be as easy as this—but it never is.

"it's nice?" she asks, mock-surprised. "no, i made it. i'm impressed you don't have something to complain about." like bitna's complaints had ever been unwarranted. like she'd ever shown her any reason to believe that she's good at her job.

she looks directly at bitna, smiling politely whilst being anything but. "truly, though, i'm glad you've found something you like."

[naivemeldy]

Routine dictates the bulk of her life, she realizes as she makes the short drive from the farm to Oni Cafe, that in most ways she's been more of an abettor than a victim of the regimen. Rarely, if ever, does she lean toward spontaneity; Kim Hyein instead is a creature of habit, choosing to take comfort in the mundanity of her life.

Friday mornings are no exception. This Friday, like every Friday for the last six-odd years, she finishes her horse ride, showers, and changes into a fresh set of clothes⎯ did she wear this outfit last week? She can't recall⎯ and makes her way to meet Daeun at work. Truth be told, she doesn't care much for coffee; her taste buds are more immature than she'll admit, and she doesn't enjoy the bitter taste and harsh notes of an Americano. However, Daeun is here, and it's all par for the course.

Hyein walks in, says a polite hello to the barista, orders the same hazelnut latte, drinks half, and waits for Daeun to finish her paperwork and sit with her.

This week, the latte is more bitter than usual, the barista has burnt the beans, and there's a harsh aftertaste that sits on the back of Hyein's tongue. Maybe she'll only drink a quarter of it today, if only to be polite. Wrinkling her nose, she folds her hands on the table in a bid to be patient, but the poor taste in her mouth. Instead, she calls out to Daeun.

"I don't think I ever finished telling you the news about Minji." Her voice seems to resound in the somewhat empty cafe, though it falls on deaf ears. Save for the barista, there's no one else to hear them. "Her mom was telling my mom that she attempted to try it on with her boss, and the guy's wife found out. Apparently, she's gotten fired from the clinic, so they wanted to borrow some money from us to give to Minji."

The gossip is a part of the act. Hyein leans back in her chair and takes another sip of her coffee. It's honestly reprehensible at this point, and cringes again before putting the drink down.

"I don't care if my mom is her grandmother's sister," Hyein clarifies, "asking us to pay for her mistakes is a bit much, isn't it?"

FAKE EMPIRE | ft. @selfmythologize

[selfmythologize]

there's a light in daeun's office that's been buzzing for a few days now. sometimes it'll flicker, as if resetting, and the buzzing will cease. then a few minutes will pass and she'll realize that the buzzing has returned.

it isn't bothering her much. she leaves the door cracked to catch the movement taking place outside; between the barista's shoes squeaking as she walks back and forth, intermittent bursts of running water as she rinses mugs, and then the sound of ceramic clinking when those mugs are stacked, she hardly notices the buzzing.

the bell above the front door chimes. it's nosiness that brings her to her feet and pushes her to peek around the corner. it's luck that brings hyein into her sightline. the days pass in a blur, and it's friday again already. she knows hyein will visit on fridays, but then friday comes and it's always a pleasant surprise.

she holds her index finger up, signaling one second, and disappears into her office, where she really, truly intends to wrap up her paperwork. but then she hears hyein's voice ring out, and she decides payroll can wait. she leaves her office again, closing the door on the idle hum.

"her boss?" she asks loudly, not yet having reached hyein's table. when she does, she pulls out the chair across from her, indelicate; the legs scrape sharply against the floor. she takes her seat in the same way as always—sideways, legs crossed, one elbow on the table.

seo daeun is incapable of maturity. she looks at hyein, trying very hard not to smile like a middle school boy who's just learned a dirty secret, and asks, "well, was he into it? before the wife found out, i mean."

then she leans in, head tilted ever-so-slightly to the side in consideration. "and are you guys actually going to give them money? is that how it works now?"